Labeling machine



C. HOLM LABELING MACHINE Sept. 23, 1941.

Filed July 19, 1939 .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m I v FIIIIIIIIII II I l m :lilw

for: C431. FOL/ i my Sept. 23, 1941. c. HOLM 2,257,055

(LABELING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnwmtem Cmaz. HoL

' fi/WM 06275172 13 S p 3 -1941- c. HOLM 2,257,055

LABELING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 CAEL HOLM Sept. 23, 1941.

C. HOLM LABELING MACHINE Filed July. 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED :STATES" manna momma Carl Holm, Worcester,

nomic Mass, assignor to. Eco- Machinery Company, Worcester, Mass,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 19, 1939.- Serial No. 285,306

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for applyinglabels to articles such as bottles.

An important feature of the invention is the arrangement for gumming each label -the latter being so presented to the gum applying roll;- ers= as to eliminate all possibility of followin the roller surface, by'adhering to the gum thereon. The machine also provides a novel and compact arrangement of its several instrumentali= ties, involving the disposal of its label holder between the gum-applying mechanism and the bottleor other article to be labelled.

ther and further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the machine of a projecting arm l5 thereof has its outer end pivotally connected to a depending rod i5, whose Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a larger scale fragmentary side elevation of the gumming apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. .1, showing the label carrier, as well as the article supporting mechanism.

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illus-' trating successive portions of the label-gumming operation. v

-With reference to the drawings, the machineprovides spaced sides or uprights I and 2, Fig. 1, having. journalled in their base portions the main shaft 3, which carries a plurality of cams for controlling the several machine movements,

as will hereinafter appear.- The shaft 3 is actuated from any suitable source of power, not shown, through a one "revolution clutch I of conventional construction. The clutch may be operated by a foot treadle, not shown, through any suitable connections.

The principal label-handling instrumentality of the, mach ne is a horizontally reciprocating carrier 5, having suction openings on' its under side by which to seize and hold the front or printed face of each label. Said carrier is suitably suspended from an arm 5', projecting from a member 5 which is slidable on a rod I and on' a guide bar 8, both of which extend horizontally from front to rear of the machine and have their support in brackets 5, 9 secured .to the upright I.

The label supply is a stack ll, contained in 2. To an extension of this bracket is pivoted at li a hollow arm l2, whose upper position (Fig. 1) of said arm, is adapted to engage and seize by suction the rear or 1111-: printed face of the outermost or. lowermost label of the stack I 0,. for removal of said label from 5 the stack by the downswing of said am. Said downswing of the suction picker l2 disposes the label in a substantially horizontal position, in or just below the plane traversed by the under surface of the carrier or label support 5; with m the arrival of said carrier just over the so-positioned label, the suction on the picker I2 is released, and the suction on the carrier is applied, thereby transferring the label from the picker to the under surface of the carrier, which then l5 moves, as hereinafter described,- to exposethe under surface of the label to a glue-applying operation, and thenrto deposit same on the bottle or other article to be labelled.

For the operation of the suction picker l2,

lower end is pivotally connected to a rocker arm l'l, journalled on a horizontal rod orxshaft l8. Said arm .ll carries a roller I9 which cooperates with a cam 20 on shaft 3: this cam, 2! is of the proper contour to produce the up and down swings of the picker I! in correctly-timed relation to the movement of the label carrier 5.

The suctionopening or openings 2| of the so picker-l2 communicate by an interior chamber 22 with a suction-passage 24 extending the full length of the arm; said passage, by means ofa flexible hose 23 or the like, is connected to a valve mechanisin 25, having a suitable connection 26 to vacuum. Likewise the several suction oggnings 2'I of'carrier 5- communicateby an interior chamber 28 and by a flexible. hose connection 25 .with said valve mechanism. 25. The latter is not here illustrated in detail, since 40 its operation will be understood by those sliilled.

in theart; any suitable valve mechanism niay be employed to control, in properly timed relation, the application of suction to and the-release of suction from the picker l2 and carrier 5.

Afters. label has been transferred, as hereinbefore described from the picker 12 to the carrier 5', the latter moves rearwardly (toward the left,

Figs.- 2 and 4) for the application of adhesive to the label. This adhesive is applied first to onehalf of the-label as the carrier moves rearward-M ly, and then to the other half of the label as the 5 carrier move's'forwardly. The applicator means may be of any..of the usual kinds employed in this art for rend adhesive one surface of afree end, in thelabel but the means herein-ch sen for specific exhesive, and which is supported .by a rocking plate 83'. The plate is mounted on a shaft 34 extend lngbetween the uprights I and 2, and rockingof counterclockwise, Fig. 3, to bring the'rig'lit hand f label's middle tends betwen the ,the "carrier; 1 half-,of-the' 'la 1 the box is eflected throu'gh a rod 35 connected at its upper end we pin li-and-slot'fl to the bracket, and at its lower eiid to an arm- 88, which, r

2,257,055 in a guide member 63. The latter is supported on J a cross bar 64 extending between the uprights I like the arm ll,-isiournalled on the shaft II. A

, follower- 3. on the arm 38 cooperates with a cam 39 on the shaft-.3, to"pro' duce the rocking flat the proper times.

of box The rollers a and u are moustea'bii shafts and 2: The member GI has connected thereto a link 65, the lower end of which is connected to an arm teturnable on the shaft I8. This arm 66 base cam follower. 61, Fig. 4, cooperating with a" cam 68 on the main shaft 3.

' shaped as to raise the bottle a into a position di- Thezcamisso rectly beneath and practically flush with the label,as soon as the suction carrier 5 reaches its label-depositing positiomsbthat the adhesive-coated lower surfaceYof the label will contact the bot tle, immediately upon the release of the suction ll and I journalled inthe opposite side walls of lo 'thebo'x 32,-:and these shafts have interenswns.

gears-l2 and 43 Figs. 1 and 3, positioned outside of the'box' for assuring av rotation of the two roll 1 on in Opposite directions. I As shown in Fig. 3. a I 'doctor comb is positioned between the rollers,

and has opposed'edgeo e aaseable with the pe- .ripherles. of the rollers to control the amount of I adhesive carried by the roller surfaces. The gum exerted on said label by the carrier 5. The bottle a is held against undue displacement on its sup port by the lateral wings 60 thereon, best shown inFlg.1. v As soon as the label has been released from the suction carrier and applied to the upper side 'of the bottle, the carrier moves rearwardly (to the left, Figs. 2 and ,4), and the label presser 69 pobox 32 supports'at' each end ascraper I! .ofeono ttherollersflahd'llw For driving the rollers "and II, ashaft i is iournalied in. a bracket "mounted on the plate I8, Flg..-1, The shaft 48 has on the'end thereof noted that the-rotationof the rollers II and 31' is such that the upper surfaces of therollers .move toward each othenas indicated .by the armoving in the same direction as the label when either roller is engaged thereby. s The label carrier! is moved by a link Ilgwhich Q [connects-the carrier to the lower end of an arm uxjournalled on a shaft .53, which in turn ex label Jean-1e; s new inwardly ti he machine (to the left, Fig. 2), e box liis tilted,

- vention'al construction, for cooperation with each rows, Fig. 3,so'-that-the roller surfaceswill be to time: cnds-oi' theuprights I roller. st against'the under side of the label on thereby summing the right-hand s from, itsmiddle portion to its right-hand edge, as'shcwn inFig. 5. -As' the an r rier reverses, and. begins its movement-to the right. Fig. 3, the box is rocked clockwise, to bring the. left-hantlrolier' 3., against the under: side of the label forapplying guxn'or-adhesive to the released halfofethe labelgfrom its-middle peris never any chance for the label,

with either summing roller,

of the -label.' .The carrier continues its movement to'ward'th'e i'ront'ofthe'machine' (to the right, Fig, 2) until carrier is in the labeldepositing position, vlz.,-.the outer limit of ts ciprocatorv travel. I

- The bottle a or other article tobe labelled, is adapted .t'o-be positioned 'on' a vertically adjusta- -blesupp rt I, mounted in a member ii on the upper endlof-a rodli which is vertlcallyslidable sitioned above the bottle, moves downwardly, and assures a attachment of the labelto the bottle. The label presser is carried on a vertical.- ly reciprocal bar 10, slidable in a bracket", which in turn is secured to a cross bar 12 extending between the uprights] and 2. The 119-; per end ofthe bar 10 has a notch 13 to receive the projecting end of an arm 14 turnable on the,

I a sprocket ,ll by a chain! to a sprocket I! on the main drivefshaft 3. 1 It will be same shaft 53 on which the arm 52' is mounted, Integral with the arm 14 is a second arm 15,.and the free end-of this arm is connected by and II to an arm' I1 turnable on the shaft It. The arm 11 has a cam follower 18 cooperating. with scam I! on the shaft 3 by which the label presser is moved. The presser 89, asshown, has a sponge rubber or other resilient pad 80 on the under side thereof, for conforming to the con-' tours of the bottle and for assuring apressu're over the entire surface oi the label.

In operation, before the above described rear:-

wai'dmovement of carrier 5 takes place the picker l2 wfll have swung downwardly, carrying into a horizontal position the next-removed label .from the. stack II. Then, as the carrierinoves rearwardly, there is a momentary dwell of same over, the picker-held label, during which the lease of suction by the'picker and the application I .of suction to the carrier procures the transfer of the label to the carrier. Then the carrier's rearward movementv is resumed, andthe picker l2 moves upwardly into the full line position of Fig. l, in readiness to'remove the next label from the stack.

As the carriermoves toward the rearof the machinathe Summing tray is rocked counter clockwise, Fig. 2, to bring the right-hand gumming roller against the under side of. the label,

when the rollers and'lab'el are substantially in the relative positions ofFig.- 5, and thereby apply g'um to the right-hand half or the label during the continued movement of the carrier tojthe left. The movement of the carrier is then re-' versed, and simultaneously therewith the 811mming tray is rocked clockwise, Fig. 2, to bring the left-hand. roller intoposition'for engagement with the label, as shown'in Fig. 5, thereby .apply-' 1 lug gum to-the left-hand half of the label as the carrier moves toward the front ofthe machine: I The portions of the label to which tlie adhesive is applied successively; by the rollers 30 and II are shown; in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively by the enclosing brackets in theseflgures. The carrier,

then continues its forward movement. until it is in label-applying position directly over the.

bottle, in which position-it remains long enough for the bottle to be elevated to engage the label, the suction in the carrier being at this time out ofl to release the label, and the carrier is then withdrawn to its original'label-picking position. Assoon 'as the carrier is withdrawn, the label presser is moved downwardly, and assures a sccure attachment of the label to the bottle.

While the carrier is in label-applying position, thepicker arm- II, which has been in the raised position of Fig. 1, with the end thereof in engagement with the bottom label in the stack of labels, has suction applied thereto to pick up the bottommost label and transfer'it by a downward movement of the arm, to a position directly beneath the position of the carrier when the latter is in label-picking position. All of these machine movements are controlled by the cams on the shaft 3, and thus occur in predetermined relation to each other, the cams being suitably designed to control the machine movements in the proper sequence.

rier, said means comprising a pair of rollers and an oscillatory support. for saidrollers by which the-latter are alternately supported for engagement with a label on the carrier, and means for shifting the said oscillatory support when the movement of the carrier is reversed.

5. Gumming mechanism for labeling and likemachines, comprising rotary gumming rollers ro tating in opposite directions, means for conveying a label, by movements in opposite directions, past said rollers, and means for initially contacting each roller in succession with' the approximate middle portion of said label, for gumming first one half, and then the "other half of said label. Y

6. In a labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier, a .pair of gumming rollers mounte'd'for The claims of this application are directed to the structure by which adhesive is applied to the semi-automatic labelling machine wherein the articles to be labelled are manually presented to and withdrawn from, labelling position and wherein the adhesive, in the form of gum is applied to the exposed surface of the label by means of rollers, it is obvious that if other forms of adhesive are employed the applicator means will be of appropriate type, it will be understood that my invention is not limite o the particular type of machine or to the particular adhesive apply- 4 ing means herein specifically described by way of example, but it is to be understood as broadly inclusive of any and all types of labeling machine falling within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier and gumming means for a label on the carrier, said means comprising a pair of rollers, and means for shifting the rollers alternately 'into a position to engage the label on the carrier.

2. he labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier and gumming means for a label on the carrier, said means comprising a pair of rollers,

a tank on which said rollers are supported, and

means for oscillating said tank for shifting the .rollers alternately into a position for engagement with a label on the carrier.

3. In a labeling machine, a. reciprocable label carrier and gumming means f or a label on the carrier, said means comprising a pair of rollers, and means for shifting the rollers alternately into a position to engage the label on the carrier with one roller engaging the label during movement of the carrier in one direction and the other roller engaging the carrier during its movement in the opposite direction.

4. In a labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier, gumming means for a label on the caroscillation about an axis substantially parallel to the rollers, a support for said rollers and means for oscillating said support for shifting the rollers alternately into a position for engagement with a label on the carrier.

7. In a labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier, 'a pair of gumming rollers mounted'for oscillation about an axis substantially-parallel tothe rollers, a support for said rollers, means for oscillating said support for shifting the rollers alternately into a position for engagement with a label on the carrier, and means for moving the carrier in timed relation to the oscillatory movement, whereby one roller engages the label for gumming the rearward half of the label during the carriers movement in one direction and whereby the otherroller engages the remainder of the-label during the carriers movement in the opposite direction.

8. Ina labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier, a pair of gumming rollersmounted for oscillation about an axis substantially parallel to the rollers and beneath the label carrier, a support for said rollers, means for oscillating said support for shifting the rollers alternately into a position for engagement with a label on the underside of the carrier, means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions about their' axes, and means for moving the carrier in timed relation to the oscillatory movement whereby one roller with its surface moving in the same direction as the carrier engages the label for gum ming a part of the label during the carrier's movement in one direction, and whereby the A other roller engages at least a portion of the remainder of the label during the carriers movement in the opposite direction.

9. In a labeling machine, a reciprocable label carrier, a pair of gumming rollers mounted for.

oscillation about an axis substantially parallel to the rollers and beneath the label carrier, a support-for said rollers, means for oscillating said support for shifting the rollers alternately into a position for engagement with alabel on the underside of the carrier, means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions about their axes,

and means for moving the carrier in timed relation to the oscillatory movement whereby one roller with its surface moving in the same direction as the carrier engages the label for gumming the rearward half of the label during the carrier's movement in the opposite direction, the surface of said other roller moving in'the direction of the carrier's movement during gumming of the remainder of the label.

10. In a labeling machine, a label support operative to hold a label with one surface thereof exposed, means operative to move said support rectiom means operative to bring the applicator means 1 into effective relationtosaid exposed surface of the label during each of successive back and forth motions of the support, said a1f plicatorranged'that a portion'only of thesurface of the label-is. caused to become adhesive duringeach effective'operation of the applicator means.

vsaidexposed surface to become adhesive, actuactuating means being so constructed and ar- 11. In a machine of, the class described, labele I tlon to said exposed surface of the label during supporting means operative to support a label with one of its surfaces exposed, applicator means, actuating means operative to cause a rel-' ative motion of the support and applicator means I back and forth in a direction generally parallel to said exposed surface of the label, and means operative to cause the applicator means to contact the exposed'surface of the label at a.point intermediate the opposite. ends ofthe'label during each of successive relative back and forth movements oflthe support and said applicator means and to remain in contact with said surface 1 1 during the completion -of each such successive movement. v

, l2.- In a machine of the class described, means.

a predetermined path with one surface of the label exposed-means for applying adhesive, and

means operative to cause such motion of the adhesive applyi-ng' means relative to the movement operative to move a label ba'ck and forth along of the label that during movement of the labelin one direction adhesive is applied to that portion only of said exposed surface which lies between approximately the-mid point of the label and its trailing edge, and that during movement chine of the kind having'a reciprocating label support and gum-applying means, that method which comprises as 'steps causing gum-applying means first to contact the surface of the label at a point intermediate the ends of the latter as the support moves in one direction and to con.-

- tinue such contact until the support completes itsmotion in saiddirectlon, and then causing gum-applying means to contact the surface of the label at a point intermediate the ends of the latter as the support moves in the opposite direction and to maintain such contact until the support has completed its motion in the latter di- 14. Method of causing a labelto become adhesive by the use of a pair of oppositely rotating applicator rolls which comprises as steps so supporting the label as to'leav'e one surface exposed, bringing one of said rolls into contact with said exposed surface substantiallyv at the mid-portion ofthe latter, causing relative movement of the label and roll such as to progress the roll toward and beyond one edge of the label, bringing the of the label substantially at the mid-point of the andsaid second roll such as to progress said 'secsecond roll into contact with the exposed surface latter, and causing relative movement of the label back and-forth-along .a predetermined path, ap- R plicator means (for causing said exposed surface tOgIbGOOIIlG -;.adheslve, and applicator actuating 'ond roll toward and the label. K

.15. *In a labeling machine, label supporting 'means operative to holda label with one surface thereof exposed, applicator means for causing ating means including parts operative to cause 1 a relative motion of the support and applicator meansback and forth in a direction generally parallel to said exposed surface of the label, said actuatingmeans also including parts operative to bring the applicatori means into effective relaeach of' successive back and forth relative mo- V tions, said several parts of the actuating means become adhesive from said point to one'ofthe ends of the label during relative motion of the label and applicator means in one direction and causes the remainder of the exposed surface of the label to become adhesive during the following relative motion of the support and applicator means in theopposite direction. 16. In a labeling machine, "a reciprocable lab carrier operative to support a label with one surface exposed, and applicator means arranged ad- Jacent to the path of said exposed surface of the label, said applicator means comprising a pair of elements, each, when disposed ineifective relation to the label, being operative to cause the exposed surface ofthe label'tobeeomesticky, and shifting means operative to shift said ele, ments, alternately, into effective relation to the 'exposed surface of the label, said shifting means the label only during movement of the carrier in the opposite direction. 7

1'7. In a labeling' machi ne comprising means for moving a label in opposite directions along a l predetermined path with one surface of the label exposed,- applicator means disposed adjacent to said path, said applicator means comprising a pair of elements, each, when disposed in effective relationto the exposed surfaceof the label, bein operative to cause such surface to become sticky,

means'operatlve, to shift one only of said elements into efiective relation to the mid-portion of the exposed surface of the label and to maintain it in,such relation while the label comwhile the label completes its movement in the. op-' posite direction.

A CARL HOLM.

beyond the opposite edge of, 

